Last Updated on: 4th May 2024, 09:03 pm
Situated between the urban centers of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley isn’t your typical National Park. It’s divided up into various sections with modern towns and residences scattered between them. While it lacks the sense of immersion of other National Parks, nature lovers who find themselves in the area shouldn’t miss hiking the Ledges trail.
While easily the top thing to do in the park, the Ledges trail only takes roughly an hour to complete. You should then have plenty of time left over to explore the rest of the park’s attractions, many of which we’ll be covering in the guide below. Also at the end of the article, you can learn more about where to stay in Northeast Ohio.
But you may still be wondering: What exactly is a National Park doing right outside of Cleveland?
The park’s roots date back to 1929, when businessman Hayward Kendall donated the land around the Ledges to the state of Ohio on the condition that it serve as a public park.
Further infrastructure was added to the area in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. But urban sprawl in the 1960s would start to threaten the region’s natural beauty, while the Cuyahoga River, after which the park would be named, infamously caught on fire.
Eventually in 1974, Cuyahoga Valley was declared a National Recreation Area managed by the NPS. But even then, critics didn’t feel that Cuyahoga Valley was worthy of entry into the National Park System. Nevertheless, it was later promoted to a National Park in the year 2000.
While the decision remains somewhat controversial, Cuyahoga Valley is currently the 12th most-visited park in the country, while admission is completely free.
Hiking The Ledges Trail
While most definitely the flagship hike of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Ledges trail (also known as the Ritchie Ledges) could be considered an easy hike that takes 1-2 hours to complete. In my case, I finished it in 70 minutes.
It would be wise to start your day here, as the trail can become crowded by late morning – especially on weekends or holidays.
You’ll want to park outside the Ledges Shelter, which is exactly right in the center of the loop trail. A path will then take you deeper into the forest, while signs throughout the area should then point you in the direction of the trail.
While the trail can be hiked in either direction, I decided to it do it counterclockwise. But the beginning of the trail can be a bit tricky to figure out.
At first, you’ll find yourself atop the Ledges. You’ll then want to make a right onto the trail that takes you downhill. After that, make a left to continue north along the bottom level.
The loop trail is about 2.2 miles (3.7 km) long – at least according to AllTrails. According to the NPS, it’s 1.8 miles, so AllTrails is likely adding the roundtrip walk to and from the parking lot.
In either case, it’s not a tremendous undertaking, especially considering how there’s only 62 m (200 ft) of elevation gain.
If you’re looking for more of a relaxing hike that also offers beautiful and unique scenery, this hike is for you. Furthermore, the hike is almost entirely shaded, so you shouldn’t have to worry about heat even on a sweltering summer day.
From the very beginning, you’ll be greeted with views of the Ledges themselves. About 320 million years ago, this area was a swamp, with streams bringing various types of sediment. The sediment then hardened into the formation we now know as the Sharon Conglomerate.
Largely comprised of a conglomerate of finer-grained sediments and quartzarenite sandstone, the Sharon Conglomerate can be found throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania and even Maryland.
But the Ledges Trail of Cuyahoga Valley National Park is generally regarded as the place where the Sharon Conglomerate has been most exposed.
While the loop trail largely has you walking through a quiet and secluded forest, the immersion is occasionally interrupted, as you’ll have to walk across some modern roads to progress. But it won’t be long until you leave the sounds of traffic behind again.
At the far southern end of the loop trail, you’ll find the Ledges Overlook. While called an overlook, there aren’t any views to speak of, other than the trees of the dense forest up ahead.
Nevertheless, it’s here that you’ll find yourself standing atop the Ledges, and this vantage point offers great views of some interesting rock formations.
The trail will then soon take you downward, and you’ll once again be looking at the Sharon Conglomerate from below.
From here on, the remainder of the trail is quite similar to what you saw at the beginning. As you walk along, it can be fun to ponder the forces that shaped these formations over the course of millions of years.
As mentioned above, you’ll want to start this hike early. Starting the hike at around 9:00 in the morning, I only ran into a handful of other hikers during the first three quarters of the journey. But near the end, I began to pass more and more groups.
And by the time I returned to the parking lot after 10:00, hordes of visitors were on their way to hike the Ledges on this clear summer day.
Can the Ledges trail compare with other well-known hikes at America’s other National Parks, such as Angels Landing or Grinnell Glacier? Certainly not. Many do, however, consider it the top hike in Ohio.
Kendall Lake
While hiking the Ledges trail is easily the highlight of Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the park is home to numerous other landmarks that you could easily spend half a day – or even a full day – visiting.
Finished with the Ledges trail, I next headed to Kendall Lake, just a three-minute drive away. You can admire the lake from a wooden viewing platform that extends out over the water. But aside from that, there’s not much else to do.
You will notice, however, signs for the ‘Kendall Lake Trail.’ There seem to be little hiking trails spread throughout Cuyahoga Valley National Park. And while little information on them exists, many of them appear to be little more than flat forested paths.
The Everett Covered Bridge
About ten minutes southwest of Kendall Lake is one of the park’s most noteworthy manmade landmarks. The Everett Covered Bridge was originally built sometime in the 19th century, while what we see today is a modern reconstruction.
In general, bridges like these have come to symbolize historic Ohio, as the state was once home to over 2,000 of them. But from the 1880s, as iron bridges grew in popularity, covered wooden bridges gradually became more scarce.
Another noteworthy site in the area is Hale Farm & Village. Located south of the bridge, the farm functions as a living historical museum about traditional life in rural Ohio. Unfortunately, they’re not clear about their opening hours and I found it closed during my visit.
Beaver Marsh
Another landmark in the southern part of the park (and one for which you won’t have to worry about opening hours) is Beaver Marsh.
Note that parking doesn’t seem to be clearly indicated on Google Maps, so it’s better to just follow the signs on the ground.
The marsh is viewed by walking along the Towpath Trail, along which mules used to pull canal boats in the 19th century. Amazingly, the trail stretches from Cleveland to Tuscarawas County, which would likely take a couple of hours if one were to drive.
This path – including the boardwalk section – is very popular with cyclists, so be sure to stay alert as you explore the area.
The Beaver Marsh – situated on the site of a former salvage yard – is widely regarded as the top place to spot wildlife in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
While I only spotted some birds, from the boardwalk you have the chance to see beavers, river otters, snakes, turtles and more.
The Boston Mill Visitor Center
Further north, right in the central part of the park, is the Boston Mill Visitor Center. But first, you’ll likely encounter Boston Mill Station. This isn’t just a historical relic, but one stop along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad that functions to this day.
Built long before the establishment of the park, the railway can now only be enjoyed as part of a sightseeing tour. Tours last about two hours, and you can learn more information here.
As for the Boston Mill Visitor Center itself, it’s pretty much your typical park Visitor Center, but it’s still worth a brief stop. Here you can learn more information about the park and buy some souvenirs at the gift shop.
It’s also right by the next destination in this guide to Cuyahoga Valley: Brandywine Falls.
Brandywine Falls
After hiking the Ledges trail, a stop at Brandywine Falls is arguably the top thing to do at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The waterfall is easily accessed via boardwalk, and it will only be a minute before you find yourself standing in front of the falls.
The 60 ft-high waterfall has been flowing since the end of the last Ice Age. And here one can observe layers of sandstone atop layers of shale. Amazingly, the layers of rock at the base could be as old as 400 million years.
While, as mentioned, Brandywine Falls is easily accessible, there actually is a hike that one can do here. Known as the Brandywine Gorge Trail, it’s just about 1.4 miles (2.3 km).
It takes you along the Brandywine Creek, which eventually flows into the Cuyahoga River. Notably, this area used to be home to a large village, though little evidence of it remains.
Frankly speaking, this trail isn’t very remarkable, especially compared to the main viewpoint of the falls. But it can be a good way to escape the sun on a hot day.
Speaking of waterfalls, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is home to several others. To the southwest of the Visitor Center are the Blue Hen Falls. Further north, meanwhile, are the Bridal Veil Falls and the Great Falls of Tinkers Creek.
As mentioned above, there’s enough to see around Cuyahoga Valley to take up an entire day (or more). Most visitors, however, will likely feel satisfied after a half-day exploration of the highlights.
Additional Info
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is worth visiting in two main instances: You’re on a quest to visit as many US National Parks as possible, or you just happen to find yourself (or live) in Northeast Ohio.
The United States is home to plenty of National Parks that are spectacular enough to warrant traveling hours, or even days. to experience. And as nice of an experience hiking the Ledges trail is, Cuyahoga Valley simply isn’t worth going far out of your way for.
All in all, however, Ohio does have a lot of interesting attractions that go largely overlooked. In the center and southern parts of the state, for example, are some of the country’s most significant prehistoric mounds and earthworks. On that note, a visit to Cuyahoga Valley would make for a great way to start or finish a longer trip through the state.
As mentioned above, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is situated in Northeast Ohio right in between the cities of Cleveland and Akron. But if you’re visiting the area, where should you stay?
Aside from its association with a certain basketball star, Akron doesn’t have a whole lot going for it, so most visitors would be better off staying in Cleveland.
If you’re new to the city, consider staying in the downtown area which has gradually been cleaned up and revitalized over the years. But staying downtown comes with a price. If budget is not a major concern, consider staying at the highly-rate 1600 KCM Penthouse Apartment or The Hilton.
Outside of downtown, consider staying in the University Circle district, which is right by many of the city’s top museums. One of the best values in the area is The Glidden House.
Outside the city center, the Modern Century Loft At The Pillars is right by the trendy Coventry area in the suburb of Cleveland Heights.